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Ethereal , Untouchable (M) [Open]

Started by AevumEternity, December 04, 2016, 05:44:49 PM

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AevumEternity

M for Gore and Mayhaps More

Hakon Kilandre's scimitar sliced through the fabric and flesh with a terrible scream of steel followed by the hiss of an artery being sliced open. The rogue mage's hand curled in agony, quickly flying to his split neck- blood gushing in red waves between his fingers as he fell back. Only to cower further as the massive Theocog turns round- finishing his master's brutal blow with a coup-de-grace of four hooves crushing the man's ribcage.

The forest clearing now fell silent, the runes that glowed with boiling blood in a demonic light now failing. Plunging the trees into the dim purple light given by the setting sun. Crumpled heaps of dark blue robes lay strewn about the clearing, other summoners who had attempted to stop the Major of Ansgar's Hand from ceasing their ritual.

Hakon slid off her helm, tossing it angrily toward the ruins just beyond the trees with a cry of anger. Purgatorio, the great silver Theocog tossed his massive head in surprise, snorting angrily. The young woman's armor shrieked as she slid and collapsed off of the great horse, dropping the blade into the soft soil, damp with gore.

Her armored gloves curling in her platinum locks as the Lady screamed- the sound a long, loud, mournful wail of agony and grief. The magic they had used twisted her mind, bringing back the faces of the hundreds dead by her blade, her family seeming to burst with pus and disease, the heat that burned through her that urged her to sin- all of it- all if it coming back in a torrent that blinded the young woman, causing her to hyperventilate and tremble upon the ground as the great warbeast stood nearby, snorting and whickering worriedly...

Marakai Trin

A second massive beast of a horse came to a stop close to Purgatorio, this one a stark black. The rider atop him gave Sleipnir a quick pat before he jammed a long glaive, dripping with blood, blade first into the blood soaked earth.

There was a clash of steel as Diz dismounted, his boots hitting heavily on the earth. A small amount of blood streamed from a small gash across his forehead, a narrow miss from a spike of earth hurled from a terramancer. With a couple steps, he reached his superior and kneeled next to her.

"Hakon, what's wrong? You need to get up, there's more coming from the ruins. Jyrryk and the others are still a ways back...it was hell to catch up to you. But it's just us two, My Lady, and they're going to try and unleash more hell upon us."

He stood then, and reaching over both shoulders, unsheathed both broadswords at his back, readying himself for his Major's defense if need be.

"If there's anything I can do for you, tell me now, before they come."

AevumEternity

She managed to quiet herself long enough to suck in more breath, forcing herself up as tears threatened to blind her vision. The Major rolled her shoulder angrily, shaking her head like a mad dog and hissing curses at herself- forcing away the images, trying to gain control of her trembling body once more before snarling," We stopped their damnable blood ritual- that is all that matters!"

Looking toward Purgatorio, the massive horse trots over, waiting for Lady Hakon to mount as she readies herself for battle once more. She felt so dizzy that the forest pinwheeled about her," Into the Fell, retreat into the ruins- they will only follow us if they desire to become nothing but husks and beasts." She managed in a raw voice, spitting to the side, barely noticing the trail of blood that painted her lips," Come. Hurry- this is a battle won but to be finished another day!"

Marakai Trin

Disgaua moved at a pace as fast as his heavy armor would allow, and yanked his glaive from the earth again. "If I may, my Lady, I cannot help but think that if we leave them be, they may merely start again." Nonetheless, he used his glaive to push himself up just high enough to place one foot in the stirrup, and with a great show of strength threw all his weight into clamoring atop Sleipnir. The beast was (thank Ansgar) smart enough to lower himself slightly to make this endeavor easier.

After settling himself he placed the pole of his glaive in a leather ring he'd attached to Sleipnir's saddle, making it easier to carry while mounted.

"Your orders are my orders, though. Lead on, Major."

AevumEternity

" If they do, we shall merely charge from the darkness and continue to sow souls-" she stopped abruptly as the war-like wails of the mages they had rudely interrupted rose from the distance. Quickly she squeezed Purgatorio's sides, the Theocog arching his massive neck briefly- rearing slightlt before moving forward at a slow lope. The armor scraping audibly as the Major moved toward the Ruins of the Fell.

She hated magic, and the Fell was not much different. They were only spared because they were not magical in and of themselves but- the air here was none the less corrupt. God- it would take centuries of a hundred priests chanting a continuous mantra to rid this place of its darkness that twisted souls so terribly...

The gun-shot-like blow of the heavy gooves making contact with the ancient stone struck these thoughts from her mind. The primal magic that caused her mind so much agony being stripped away so quickly that her temples throbbed and her very breath was torn asunder. They had crossed the border into the Fell. Immediately the dizziness increased, the Major slumping forward in the saddle- already her breathing growing shallow again from the sudden change, eyes fluttering shut.

Gawfy

Gawfy had been Lying in wait for About an hour with a suit made off moss covering him. He had been waiting On one of the ruins As the Mages prepared to summon somthing un holy. He was to wait and let them summon then came along some Military Types. Before he could react they had slaughtered all of the Dark priests. "Looks like there would be no summoning today" He thought as he watched on. Then a woman? Started screaming about some non sense. He stood up ever so slowly and watched on.

Marakai Trin

Disgaua gave Sleipnir's sides a light squeeze to spur him onward, and the beast loped forward after Hakon upon Purgatorio. His eyes remained forward, focusing intently upon the path ahead, eyes and ears straining for any sound beyond the thundering sound of hooves on stone. Behind them, the mages continued their warlike howling, voices echoing amongst the stones around them.

Crossing into the Fell was an experience, too, but not like Hakon's. His wounds were physical, and also superficial, and instead this experience came with an odd feeling of deja vu that gave his soldiers mind pause.

He only contemplated this for a moment before he noticed his superior slump forward, as if weakened or further injured. That woman is admirable, but she pushes herself far too hard... he thought, and he tapped Sleipnir's sides again to spur him forward a bit, the Theocog coming to trot beside his brethren.

He turned his head to look at Hakon, noting her shut eyes and her labored breathing.

"....My Lady, you mustn't push yourself so hard if you're hurt. Please, let us find a place to hole up for the moment and wait for the other's."

AevumEternity

Forcing her eyes open to focus upon her Captain, shutting them again tightly when his image spun before her, she nodded slightly, exhaling carefully," Very well-" her voice rasped raw between her lips as she placed a hand against Purgatorio's thick, armored neck. The steed craning its head back worriedly with a sound deep in its chest.

She felt so weak, it was humiliating. It made her hate them all the more. Armored gloves curled into fists ad she thought... Dammit-

Alas, the howls soon died to a low, uncertain ambient droan as the mages reached the border of the Fell and the forest. They may be mad but none were willing to risk their accumulated power to become a mere beast just to pursue a quarry.

Marakai Trin

Diz nodded gratefully. "Take your rest, Hakon," he said, thin lipped and serious. "It seems we are safe for the moment, so long as whatever beasts from this place remain intelligent enough to leave us alone. Now we need only find a place to settle down for the moment."

Sleipnir's neck turned slightly to also look at Hakon, looking worriedly at his former caretaker. Disgaua smiled. "Worry not, my six-legged friend. I am sure the Lady is strong enough to make it through this, and probably drag the two of us behind her as well."

He turned to look back at Hakon, blue eyes peering from beneath his bloody scalp. "Do you want to blaze the trail, or shall I?"


AevumEternity

" Lead on- I cannot guarntee my leadership will be helpful as of now," she adotted quietly, pushing herself up awkwardly by supporting herself upon the saddle horn. Her eyes flicker to her companion briefly," Watch for the afflicted, we do not know if the mages' cries have become a distress beacon."

Slinging her shield over her back and sheathing the scimitar, she nodded to him, offering a wry smile," Show me you can pay off your debt to me," she chuckles dryly. Humor clear in her tone- she would not let her dark thoughts weigh down her companion.

Marakai Trin

Diz gave a wry smile at that, nodding slightly at her before turning to face the trail.

"Of course. My debt to you runs deep - not only for Sleipnir, but also getting me out of those pointless patrols around the capital. I think I was ready to drink myself to death from the boredom." He gave a soft chuckle at that, shaking his head slightly.

"And as long as the afflicted remain in small numbers, I think we should be fine. If you've got the strength yet to poke fun at me, I think that sword of yours could still serve you a couple of swings," he said.

He looked about the ruins for a place for them to fortify momentarily, guiding Sleipnir down the odd trails and overgrown paths. It wasn't long before he found what appeared to be a building that looked at least partially intact. Single story, flat roof, ancient stonework. He dismounted Sleipnir with a rasp of steel.

"I'll check it out. Can you keep a watch for a moment, my Lady? Give a shout and I'll come running, otherwise this should take but a moment."

He leaned his glaive against the open doorway, and headed inside.

AevumEternity

Murmuring her consent, she looked toward Sleipnie, trusting all her Theocog enough to know je would not run off of his own accord. Her gaze flickers across the ruins. Listening to the deafening silence as she caught her breath, wiping some cold sweat from her brow as she did so.

The Fell was always dead quiet, and always it was unnerving, not even the birds dared to fly within the sky above this ruined country. Her gaze flickered across the hulking black stones of collapsed buildings that may have once dared to touch the sky- now simply the corpses of stony giants. Briefly she thought she saw a humanoid-like shape crouched against the ground, covered in moss near the edge of the forest but dismissed this as her exhausted mind playing tricks.

Jack Napier

Jack after being banished from most places as a monster men hunted him and soon he gave into the shadow man in him. The small fairy man and transformed into a beast made of shadow. He traveled into the Fell it was a sanctuary for him since most avoided it. Anyone that was foolish enough he killed with a strike from the swords and anything the shadows would do for him. But this day he had been like this for almost a year. The shadow had become even more a part of his life than usual he stood almost 6 foot tall as a shadow by in normal form he was only around 3 and a half feet. He had been roaming the ruins when he saw a man and woman in military clothing in his territory. Most did not venture here for most had seen his marks on the land. Trees he had split and ditches he dug in his spare time. As these two were in his territory he watched them followed them and often was going to attack but held back because the woman has something about her... She seemed to be crazed like him. You could never kill and I need the dieings face unless you went insane. Jack had already slaughtered almost a hundred men strong and healthy probably some of the best hunters.

But as he realized the two were also heading into his home. A small cave in a collapsed building. He had been conducting rituals to grow in power and strength. Dead bodies late outside and around the area to mark his presences but they probably would not care... He had to get there before they found it.

Gawfy

Gawfy stood up completely now, Still covered in moss he turned his head around looking for the way he came in. He took a few steps around seeming uncaring of the Beast and its rider. His ears pined as he heard more Hoofs clakkering. Seems you brought more than your Beast with you here The living moss stated in the direction of the girl

Marakai Trin

The inside of the building was much the same as the outside - ancient, musty, and nondescript. The doorway opened straight into a hallway that lead to the left. The room it opened into made up most of the building - a decent sized common room, furnished only by a dilapidated dining table and two broken chairs. In one corner, under a hole broken in the roof, some previous wayfarer had built a small fire pit, with a small collection of logs and scrap wood. In the opposite corner, no more than ten feet away, there was a pile of straw with an old but surprisingly thick blanket thrown over it.

Leading off of the common room seemed to be the remains of a research area of sorts, most of its furnishings dismantled, perhaps to serve as firewood. Nothing of use in there, save for a fairly large sheet nailed to the rooms only window frame.

Just a moment after he went inside, Diz came out again. He retrieved his glaive and stepped over to Sleipnir, patting his neck. "I'm afraid there's not much in the way of creature comforts, but it'll do. There's a bed for you to rest on, and a fire pit. If you want, I'll stand guard outside, and wait for the others." He turned to look at Hakon, and spoke more directly. "You need at least a moments rest, preferably a long nap. These two and I can handle things out here, I'm sure."

AevumEternity

The Major seemed rather rapt with the silent landscape as her companion spoke. Focusing upon the moss covered man who seemed to have stood and begun speaking- but due to him being im the forest nearly a half-mile away, it was impossible to know what he said. Perhaps it was a conjuration of the Mages. Hakon's skin prickled as she felt another instinctive sensation of being watched. Turning slightly toward Diz, she murmured," I cannot rest yet, my Captain, we have company in the shape of beast or man."

Tilting her head slightly, she tried to locate the other watcher, vaguely seeing the silhouette f a shadow in the distance but dismissing it again as a hallucination of fatigue. Turning slightly, she murmurs," Keep vigilant, my friend. I need to rest, as you say- but I would rather not leave you here with Purgatorio and Sleipnir as your only reinforcement despite their capablities."

At that, the great white Theocog snorted rather proudly, tossing his armored head haughtily though the ears angled toward Jack, as if it could scent or hear him rather then see him.

Jack Napier

Rushing to his home Jack worried that they had already went in. But if they do not check the back room they would not find it. The dead bodies... had they not seen them? Oh well. He slid through small cracks and drifted over the ground. No apparent shape could be told. A Dragon, a man, or some other beast could be seen every now and then if he held still by I shifted through them. Jack reached the back of the house they were in and drifted through a crack. He was in the room with the straw one of his beds. If she lays he filthy he's on it he would cut it off. The other man will be slaughtered. When it came down to it Jack wanted to be left alone away from hunters. These ones must be the kings men. As he reached the door he melted into the shadows around it unnoticible. Whispering through her mind the majors mind his voice slithered. "You are a murderer aren't You? You see their faces like I do? But why did you not turn back I made the warnings left the bodies of hunters just look behind the house I left a few there." He said all of this only to her to anyone else they would not hear them inside their heads. But he waited and lurked to the other side of shadows and watched through a crack outside.

Gawfy

Gawfy walked in the direction they fled and soon came upon her company. After Sneaking past them he was soon in front of what seemed like a house in a middle of a cave. He could hear commotion on the inside and sat down next to the door and listened in

Marakai Trin

Diz reaffirmed his grip on the pole of his glaive, stepped over to stand beside Hakon and, with blue eyes suddenly gone hard and cold, scanned their environs. All trace of his earlier humor evaporated, leaving behind the professional soldier he was so well known to be.

"....Perhaps we should-"

He suddenly stopped, heading the sounds of trotting hooves nearby. He glanced at Hakon, and relaxed slightly.

The sounds of hooves and steel grew closer, and four large chargers of varying shades bearing riders in various states of health came around the bend.

"...I see Jyrryk, Aldemar, Maek, and Veisen. Jyrryk! Where is the rest of the company?"

The four, noting the voice of their Captain, spurred their horses forward, coming to stop in front of Hakon and Disgaua.

"Major, Captain...it is only us four. The others, they....we ran into a group of those blasted mages just outside the boundary of the Fell. We were ambushed..."

Disgaua's eyes widened slightly, and he cursed. "We regroup here, then. Fortify what you can, and two of you help me stand guard. I don't care who. You other two, go with the Major and rest. We'll change guard every two hours."

He turned to look at Hakon, smirking but oblivious to the voice speaking to her mind. "Well, I'm not alone now. What do you say?"

AevumEternity

Hakon exhaled quietly, just nodding wordlessly to her companion as she listened to the voice dully- far too tired to put up mich of a fight as she murmured noncommitedly," Captain, check behind the house. Keep all the men within eyeshot- I need to just..." she trailed off and shook her head, offering a tiny smile to her men before disappearing into the ruins of the house, knowing Purgatorio would be safe.

The Major rested her hand upon the hilt of her scimitar, looking about the empty rooms before choosing one where she could rest and simply wait for the voice to make itself visible. She sunk into a ragged cot from many moons past, her full armor squeaking slightly as she rested her back against the stone wall and simply waited- steadying her breathing in hopes that the throbbing headache would soon pass. If any magical being dared to pass within a 10 foot radius of her, it would instantly find itself unable to use magival abilities- thus was the blessing of Adhairism.